Ibn Tiqtaqa also quoted the above poem in his al-Fakhri (comp. 699/1302). Abul Fida (2:309) writes, "Sharif ar-Radi had composed a poem in praise of the Fatimids in which he admitted the legitimate descent of the Fatimids from Ali bin Abu Talib."

The word ibada is derived from the root bd means make or do in the sense of service. Thus ibada refers to the relationship of slave to God. Worship (ibada), according to Islam is a means for the purification of man's soul. The root bd gives us both the widest and the most fundamental word for the approach of man to God. The root bd, which has a primary meaning of "make" or "do," passing into the sense of service.

"The word Iblis is derived from balasa, meaning he despaired. It occurs 11 times in the Koran as a proper name. The general consensus is that the word is derived from the Greek diabolos. Arab tradition connects the word to the verbal sense of ublisa meaning he was rendered without hope, a reference to Iblis's fate of being cursed and sentenced to punishment by God.

Abul Qassim Hasan bin Farah bin Hawshab, generally was known by the epithet, Mansur al-Yamen (the victorious one of the Yamen). Ibn Hawshab was originally a Twelver, and is said to have spent most of time in a secluded spot on the bank of Euphrates. In such state, he is reported to have met Imam Radi Abdullah and discoursed with him on religion. Imam left him after promising to see him again. Ibn Hawshab was impressed by his chance meeting, and was eager to further meeting.

"The word idda is derived from the verb adda, meaning to count or enumerate. A woman whose marriage is annulled, or when she is divorced, a period of waiting, known as idda, is followed. The Koran says: "O Prophet!

The word ihsan is derived from husn, which designates the quality of being good and beautiful. According to the lexicons, it means every positive quality (goodness, goodliness, beauty, comeliness, pleasingness, harmony, symmetry, desirability). The Koran employs the word hasana (pl. hasanat), occurring 29 times, from the same root as husn, occurring six times, to mean a good or beautiful deed or thing. The Koran also uses the word husna as a noun meaning the best, the most beautiful and desirability.

"The Abbasid caliph Mamun (d. 218/833) patronized philosophy and professed Mutazalism. It was an interesting trend among the educated elite to drift towards Greek philosophy and ultimately a bulk of the contradictions raised among the Muslims in interpreting Islamic practices. It must be known that the intellect is an indispensable faculty in man, but despite this, its power of penetration has a definite limit. It may enjoy apparent supremacy and mastery in certain fields, but there are many things, which are baffling and incomprehensible to it.

Brethern of Purity. In 9th Century, a secrect society of Basra following Ismaili philosphy. They also compiled an encylopedia known as Rasail Ikhwan as-safa. Not to be confused with: a. Ikhwan as safa of 1960 in Cairo, the group that Massignon had dealings with. b. An educational group that was created by Prince Aly Khan in Syria. c. A society called Ikhwan (ahl e safa) that preached salvation through the sufferings of the body.

The word Imam al-Mubin occurred twice in the Koran (36:12 and 15:79). The word Imam (pl. a'imma) means a model, an exemplar, a teacher, a guide or a path. The word mubin means manifest, apparent, present, or visible. Besides, the word mubin has a special significance. In Arabic, mubin and the root b-y-n means readily apparent. Thus, Imam al-Mubin means manifest or apparent Imam.

"It is evident that the Sunni historians had no basic idea of the Shi'ite concept of Imamate and arrayed hostility with the Ismailis in the light of their own sense of propriety. They dressed the baseless stories in their notion, and then used it a tool to defile Ismailism in aggressive and hyperbolic words. Under such derogatory attitude, Imam Muhammad bin Ismail is accused of claiming the prophethood and abolishing the Shariah of the Prophet!?

Bibi Tahira, commonly known as Syeda Imam Begum was the last known member of the Kadiwal family and the composers of the ginans in India. She was born most probably on 1199/1785 in Kera, Kutchh. The tradition has it that she was the daughter of Syed Hashim bin Syed Buzrug Ali bin Syed Mashaikh II bin Syed Muhammad Fazal Shah bin Syed Sadruddin bin Syed Zain al-Abidin bin Syed Abdul Hasan bin Syed Mashaikh I bin Syed Rahmatullah Shah bin Pir Hasan Kabiruddin. Syed Rahmatullah Shah (1422-1519) resided in Uchh and then made Kadi, Kutchh as his permanent residence.

"The two terms, mustaqarr and mustawda Imams often used by the Ismailis to denotes the type of Imams. These are the Koranic terms (6:98): "It is He Who produced you from one living soul, and then there is (for you) a lodging-place (mustaqarr), and a repository (mustawda)". Baidawi agrees that the word mustaqarr in this verse means the loins (sulb, pl.

"Syed Imam Shah was a famous Ismaili da'i in India. His name was Imamuddin, surnamed Abdur Rahim. He was born in Uchh Sharif in 834/1430, and was the younger son of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin. The tradition has it that when Pir Hasan Kabiruddin died, his all sons were present at Uchh Sharif with exception of Syed Imam Shah. The tradition attests that he reached late during the interment of his father's body. Many traditions are recounted for his dissatisfaction, but all are legendary in character.

1452-1513. Born in Unch(Bhawalpur)sent to Gujrat by his father Pir Hasan Kabirdn.Was accompanyed by Huzur Mukhi Hajar Beg*. While on his way to Pirana, they stopped at the Jamat-Khana of Jhung-sind. Also known as Imamudin. Married Khatija, daughter of Sayyed Muhammad Bukhari and had 4 children: Baqir Shah*, Bala Shah*, Muhammad Shah and Khaliq Shah. Is buried at Pirana. For detailed English text on SEYYED IMAM SHAH click here

"The Ismaili mission in Gujrat suffered a setback due to the negative propaganda of Nur Muhammad Shah (d. 940/1534), the son of Syed Imam Shah. He however had renounced his allegiance with the Imams, but it is doubtful that he had ever claimed Imamate for himself. Among the Imam-Shahis, a theory had been cultivated, equating Imam Shamsuddin Muhammad with Pir Shams as one and the same person. The theory has it that Imam Shamsuddin Muhammad had abdicated the Imamate in favour of Imam Kassim Shah and himself took up the mantle of the Pir and started mission in India.

The rudiments of the concept of the Imamate had been introduced by Ali bin Abu Talib in his speeches and Imam Hussain in his correspondence with the Shi'ites of Kufa and Basra. Soon after the event of Karbala, the political situation was changed in Islamic states, therefore, Imam Zayn al-Abidin confined his religious activities to Medina. The adherents of the Imam however spread in all Islamic regions.

The word iman, generally is translated as faith or belief, is derived from amana (ordinarily rendered, he believed) which means when used transitively, he granted (him) peace or security, and when used intransitively, he came into peace or security; while amal signifies a deed or action. (The two words are most often used together in the Koran to indicate a believer, and those who believe and do good is the oft- recurring description of true believers).

"The Shi'ites believe in the infallibility of their Imams, for their Imams were the highest example of man's perfection. They explain it as protection from sin and is specific quality of the Imams, who are infallible or immune (immunity from error and sin). Once Ali bin Abu Talib said, "By God, if I was given the seven regions and what is under their orbits to disobey God through taking a grain of barley from the mouth of a locust, I would not do that."

"The very object of the raising up of the prophets and Imams makes it clear that they themselves must be free from the bondage of sin or error, and thus, the doctrine of the infallibility or immunity has therefore always been an admitted principle of Islam.

Test, trial and affliction are essential means of testing the sincerity or otherwise of an individual's claim to faith and of establishing his spiritual rank. Every person, even believer has, according to the Koran to undergo the test: "`Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, we believe, and will not be tested?

The IOMM will be a part of the redevelopment of Zanzibar's Stone Town and its waterfront. It will be located in the recently restored Stone Town Cultural Centre, in direct proximity to the port. The museum programme will be constructed around the theme of the Indian Ocean as a context for the exchange of goods, ideas and myths in which diverse civilizations have coexisted, interacted and shared intrinsic common values over time.

Launched in 1963 to reinforce private sector activity in industrial development in Asia and Africa, the Industrial Promotion (IPS) is an industrial development and venture capital institution. IPS companies exist in Bangladesh, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania, Pakistan, Uganda and Zaire; in the developed world, there are now IPS joint ventures in small and medium-sized businesses in Canada and the United Kingdom. A focal point for these nine affiliates and a clearinghouse for technical information is provided by Industrial Promotion Services S.A. Switzerland.

Sir Isaac Newton's theory of gravity speaks that every particle attracts every other particle with a force that depends on their masses and the distance between them. The moon constantly attracts the earth behaves like a loose garment that can be pulled out from the body to fall back again. It implies that every day, when the moon is directly overhead, the water of the earth flows out towards the moon, and causes high tide. Hence, during the full moon, the attraction is greater than the normal. Dr. Lyall Watson writes in Supernature (London, 1973, p.

It means if God wills (43:23), a phrase, in the Islamic terminology is called istisna, which is taken from the Koran: "Say not thou of a thing: `I will surely do it tomorrow’ – except (istisna) if God so wills” (18:23). The phrase is uttered when talking about the future. It recognizes the supreme power of God, who alone decides the events of the future. It refers to the future and expresses man’s confidence in God’s Will and the realization that nothing can be achieved without His Will.

In 1974, the Present Imam held a conference in Nairobi, which was participated by the scholars and eleven Ismailia Associations. Later, the members of the conference were invited in Paris in April, 1975, where an International Co-ordinating Committee was formed under the Ismailia Association for Kenya. On that occasion, the Imam said, “We are living in a world of material speed. Until now we have devoted insufficient time and thought on our history and theology. We must find uniform answers to the meaning of Islam, our practice etc.

The word ishq is derived from ashiqa. The ashiqa is a creeper called liblab in Arabic and ishq-pechan in Persian. When this creeper twines itself around a tree, it deprives it of its leaves and fruits. The tree turns yellow and a few days later dries up. Similarly, when love takes its root in the heart of a lover, every one other than the beloved is effaced in the effulgence of the beloved's beauty; the very being of the lover is annihilated and there remains nothing save the beloved.

"Islam means entering into salm, and salm and salim both signify peace. Both these words are used in the sense of peace in the Koran (2:208 and 8:61). The Koran says: "And Lord, make us submissive to Thee" (2:128). The word Islam does not only signify submission, it also signifies entering into peace, and the Muslim is one who makes his peace with God and man.

"Syed Ahmad Islam Shah was also known as Islam Shah. He is also called Salam Shah and Shri Islam Shah. Imam Islam Shah assumed the Imamate in 771/1370 in Azerbaijan, ruled by Sultan Uways (757-776/1356-1374), the Jalayirid ruler. It seems that during the early 25 years of his Imamate in Azerbaijan, he visited Daylam several times in disguise.

"Islam originated from monotheism, it conceived idolatry as its real enemy and acted with the purpose of subduing it first in the Arabian Peninsula. The Muslims marched northward into Syria, defeated the army of Heraclius at Yarmuk, and captured Jerusalem and Damascus. They went eastward into Iraq, defeated the Iranian at Seleucia. They further went westward and occupied Egypt away from the Byzantine empire. "In all this expansion" writes T.C. Young in Near Eastern Culture and Society (New Jersey, 1951, p.

"Another calumny that is persistently levelled at the Prophet is that in his later life he became licentious. That is an enormity that has only to be contemplated to be immediately rejected as utterly incompatible with his life and character. None of the great religious systems has polygamy been forbidden. The Jewish prophets, including the great lawgiver Moses, had a plurality of wives. No one has ever alleged that because of this they could be accounted as leading virtuous lives. Polygamy is not compulsory in Islam.

According to the Koran, "We tell you stories of the prophets, which will strengthen your heart, and thus bring you the truth, and exhortation and a memorial for the believers" (11:120) and "Say (O'Prophet) travel through the earth to find out surely the consequences of those who denied the truth" (3:42). Of particular significance is the repeated reference to asatir al-awwalin means stories of the ancients, a term occurs nine times in the Koran (6:25, 8:31, 16:24, 23:83, 25:5, 27:68, 46:17, 68:15, 83:13).

The word calendar is derived from Latin kalendae means first day of the month. It stands for dating system in the world. From ancient time man used time reckoning system based upon the movement of the sun and the moon. The altering phrases of moon provide good ground for a month. The 12 lunations completed a year of about 354 days. This is called lunar year. The earth completes a revolution in its orbit around the sun in 365.25 days. The period is called solar year and is divided into 12 months.

Topic of the day

"Alamut is a historical fortress of the Nizari Ismailis. Its location in mountainous terrain lies about 100 km. Northwest of Tehran, and situated in the high peak of Elburz mountain. Alburz generally was pronounced as Elburz, is the name given to great mountain range, dividing the high plateau of Iran from the low lands of Caspian Sea. The original Iranian word Alburz is derived from two Zand words, signifying the high mountain. The fortress of Alamut is 600 feet high, 450 feet long and 30 to 125 feet wide and is partly encompassed by the towering Elburz range.